2013.06.28 - Dude in Distress
It took a while for Illyana to piece together where it was that Superboy got drug off to. Void was able to help her piece together the pictures to the larger whole, and then there was research through her library. Most of Stormwatch is off doing what they do. Chasing down leads on their own, dealing with problems that arise and most of them were already neck-deep in another situation. From what Illyana was able to gather, the demonic plane that Kon got pulled off to shouldn't really be a problem as it tends toward big nasties and not of danger beyond tooth and claw. Something that the Metropolis Kid should be fine from and they're just gonna give him a lift home, right? That being the case, Illyana assured those that were already busy that she, Rose and Spider-Man should be able to handle the extraction and if it ended up going south, they'd put the yell in to Void for backup. Dressed in her white uniform (how *does* that stay clean, anyhow?), Magik's stepping disk deposits the trio in what looks to be a massive cave. The kind you could fit skyscrapers in, and build homes in the stalg- and stalactites. The place is lit by glowing fungi but there's still a whole lot of shadows. And tunnels that disappear into the rock walls all over. In the center, a large piller rises a dozen stories to form a plateau, and torches ring that. A staircase winds a slow spiral around the pillar towards the top. "Well." Magik says dryly. "Cheery." Spider-Man tilts his head and says absently, "You bring me to the nicest places, Sweetie Pie." He then turns to Ravager, asking her what clearly everyone should be thinking at a time like this. "How long do you think your echo would last in here?" He holds his hands up for a split second, looks to Illyana, and then thinks better of it. "Nevermind." Stepping out of the disk Ravager moves from the transport and slides booted feet along the cave floor, clad in that reinforced body suit of black and red with her swords strapped in an X across her back as well as the high tech pistol strapped to her thigh that she had come to the team with, and yet never explained. They don't ask too many questions, it made her far more comfortable then she should be surrounded by other people. Clear enough, the white haired woman is not pleased with the fact that Kon had been taken, even lugging man in a Spider suit upstairs when she never brought in strays. She even kept on Void, who she wholly did not trust and avoided like a plague, to find a location while Illyana had been doing her book-work. The finding was not her job, extracting.... That's why she's here. "Kind of like home, eh?" Ravager does not cast her gaze on anyone as she says that, instead smirks and moves forward. "I have a sky." Illyana points out. It's not a sky that most like, given it has no stars or moon or anything, but it's still a sky. Spider-Man gets an arched brow at the echo bit, and then she gives a soft snort as he thinks better. She nods towards the pillar in the distance. "C'mon. Even if there's nothing up there, it'll give us a good vantage point." She starts to trudge towards it, the ground hard rock under their feet. Spider-Man trudges along after them, making crunchy noises with his march. Eventually his footsteps take their own cadence and he begins to mutter under his breath, "The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah." Ravager slows her pace just enough to slide in at Illyana's side, leaning ever so slightly, but her voice did not lower. "Sweetie. Pie?" In each step one leg seemed to have weight avoided being put on it, but it was barely there. OPain killers worked wonder against that and helping her resolve. Glancing back at Spider-Man one brow rises as blue gaze looks incredulously at Illyana. "So what set of train tracks were you tied to that brought him into play?" She inquires, bearing a faint smirk of jest. Faint. Illyana Rasputina shakes her head at Ravager. "I think he lacks that brain-to-mouth filter." She says dryly, certainly not whispering. Yep, spider-boy can hear her juuuuuust fine. "Also, lacks a certain sense of self-preservation." Because those that have it don't call Magik 'Sweetie Pie'. As they start up the stairs, she tries very hard to ignore the fact that Spider-Man is singing the marching song. "You *could* head on up to the top and see what's there, wall-crawler." To Rose she notes, "He grows on you. Like fungus." "Hopefully a fungus without an -itch-." Ravager says with a smile back to Illyana, reaching back and gripping the hilts of her swords, two audible clicks sounding as she releases them from the sheaths but does not pull them free of their casings. "I have a methodical way to /scratch/." Tossing Illyana a wink her hands fall to her sides and from teasing to business she looks from Spider-Man to Illy. "So what is it we know, aside from they like caves and think Kon will taste good with ketchup?" "I...I can hear you guys. I'm right here." When Illyana advises him to head up to the top, he shrugs his shoulders and fires a web, "Coulda said that at the beginning, Blue." He swings away, firing a few shots that take him upward towards the top of the hill. "What am I supposed to be looking for?" he loud-whispers. "Ugh so disgusting. Get it off of me!" Yells the Superboy as he writhes in place against a wall of undulating bone, bits of pinkish fleshy meat and seaweed brackish green colored tendrils. "ICK ICK ICK!" More shouts as the small infant sized creature with a octopi like lower body wriggles along his shoulders, chest and then curls up against his neck nuzzling it. It's mandibles opening up to gnaw on the man's cheek. "WHAT THE HELL IS IT DOING!? Kissing me!??" That or trying to eat him. He isn't quite sure. The cavernous room Kon is captive in rests at the uppermost point of the tower Illyana has been leading the others to. It looks as though furniture in the form of a table, chairs and a sofa like slab has been molded out of rock and whatever gruesome elements carpet this structure (probably best left un-asked). Around the table long armed faceless toothy monsters sit huddled together chewing on something upon that sofa a heavyset glob of a creature that looks like it's all bellies, mandibles and tentacles lounges like it's some Egyptian Queen, all around it like a litter of puppies critter similar to the one hugging itself to the Superclone lie. For the past hour since he has been coherent Kon has listened to the grunting back and forth between the family of monsters. His guess is that big chubby one is some female version of Al Bundy and the rest of the family well... they're all gathered around the table. "No stop that. I don't like you, you're ugly and you smell funny. Whats this? MRMFMRHBlargh *caff caff hack* oh god what did you just put in my mouth!?" Yes, baby tentacle just fed something grotesque to the Dude in Distress. "You know, you might get a good workout chasing him around trying to lop something off." Magik says in a perfectly reasonable tone. Like they're talking about playing tennis or something. She gives Ravager a shake of her head. "From what I've got, this dimension is like 'thug-for-hire'. You need demon muscle and not much else, you knock on the doors here. I wouldn't be surprised if Superboy's beaten every body up by now." Or y'know, hostage of a baby. Either or. Spider-Man's comment gets a smirk his way. "What, you need instructions now?" As to what he's looking for? "When you see it, you'll know." She assures him. It's Spider-Man that'll hear Kon's outcries first, as he's taking the shortcut to the top. As the girls take the stairs, Magik frowns to Rose. "You hear something?" "Your demons don't quip at me... I like that." But hey, Illy had a point, and Ravager is watching Spider-Man climb up the tower with thought that -shouldn't- be there, but oh it was. Tempted to try her hand... As the thought lingers her hand goes to her tac belt that hangs low on her waist, gripping and pulling free her grappling line and its harness, clipping it to her belt. What, now?! Maybe... But as Illyana inquired Ravager has already paused, her head tilting and cascading tendril of white over her shoulder. "I.. thought so.." Her eyes narrow as she speaks, looking to Illy and then up at Spider-Man once more. Spider-Man looks down back at them from his perch and points off into the distance, "Uhm, I think I found something. It's over in that direction. And it sounded like a dude." He pauses before adding, "I think we should probably hurry." The nature of these creatures being supernatural as they are classifies them as /magic/ that alone makes them contenders Superboy could actually be injured by. And however they put him under is still a mystery to him. More coughing and hacking as Kon tries to turn his head from left to right as the little squidling smears more gunnk on his face in an attempt to feed him. Yes, gunk is the only word for this. He doesn't want to think about it and assumes they're just trying to fatten him up so they can eat him later. "Mrmseriously? Get the hell off!" He snaps out and his head slams forward smashing it in to the bulbous head of his tormentor which sends it bouncing across the ground where it ceases to move. Everything goes silent as all heads turn. That squidbillie micro form on the ground twitches once then sits upright rubbing an appendage over one side of it's hideous only-a-mother-could-love-face before it lets out an ear rupturing keening bawl that resounds off the walls within. Babies new toy just hurt it. "Oh crap. Shh shh don't cry." Looking around Kon swallows, "I was just playing with it! A love tap... like daw look lets headbump, we're pals now... kinda thing. It's not my fault hes a wimp. I mean... a very adorable... thin... baby? Help me out here guys this is like serious culture shock. I'm off my meds?!" Kon also commences to violently struggle and thrash against the bindings that hold him in place. Ravager caught -that-, and the grappling system is put into use as she pulls it off the belt enough to shoot the wire line upward and have it catch just beside where Spider-Man is, clipping it back in place and taking the fast way. The stairs were bringing pain to a dull throb anyway and this is the lazy-horses ride up. Hitting near the top of the tomer her feet kick in and against the wall, propelling her out so at the momentum when she lands on the top she lands in a crouch and grips the hook, ripping it from its place and using that as an aid to stand and keep walking forward. Illy has her own speedy way to catch up. "Well, let's go get..." Pause. "Sounds like he's having so much fun.. Maybe we should wait..." Payback is a bitch sometimes. "Yeah, uh, prolly not. See? When I tend to make decisions the idea of not doing stuff to tick off aliens comes at the front of the list." TWHIPTHIP. Spidey fires more webbing out and begins to swing himself in the direction of Kon's cries. He's not sure what's going on in there, not sure he wants to know, but is pretty sure he's about to find out. What is transpiring is about as expected. Once they're to a height they can find a portal in to the windy inner tunnels and walls that enter the hollowed out cavern center of the tower from their ledge they will see the grouping of three burly alien-esque monsters that were around the table surrounding Kon taking turns punching or slicing at him. It's almost comical the way they pretend to be human boxers dancing back and forth in front of him, one of them even mimicking Mohammed Ali before right left crossing Kon and tagging one of his pals in. Yeah, the air suspended and hanging half-Kryptonian has become their new punching bag - one of his eyes is even beginning to swell up and get puffy (meaning they're not weak in the least as far as physical power may go). "Hah, yeah, that was a good jab. K guys, I'm sorry I headbutted your ugly little kid sister. I won't do" --unf-- *thud thud thud* The beatdown proceeds. The squid-ling is actually now curled up on the very large and scary one on the "sofa" mewling and being coddled. Amongst it's massive horde of siblings. Hey, Illyana didn't really know (or... didn't remember) that Kon has that whole weakness to magical creatures bit. He's all invulnerable! He should be fiiiii--ok. Not so much. There's a flare of light as Magik joins Spider-Man and Ravager at the 'door' to the demons/Alien abode where they have a good view of him all trussed up like the entertainment. The blonde makes a gesture with one hand, her Soulsword manifesting and she raises her voice. "So... I'm afraid that I've come to take him home. He was a bad boy and didn't ask for a playdate." Ravager... Is shocked by what she comes to see just before Illyana ports in. Her upper lip draws back and in the flash of white teeth one hand has already moved to draw a kunai free of her thigh holster, a flick of her wrist tossing it at the little slug sitting atop it momma jabba getting slimy cuddles - aiming to remove it from the equation and draw attention as well as Illyana manifests her blade. Her other hand already has a sword drawn, stepping back and ready to spring forward at the slightest movement and inclination to do so, her eyes wavering and squinting. "Ooops. That's how you play here, right?" "Well, everyone's lookin' timid round here. I'll go ahead and hit the buffet first. I'm not shy." Spider-Man sends out a pair of webs trying to secure the monsters' arms by adhering it to the ground. Anywhere is good, so long as their fists aren't hitting Kon in the face anymore. From there, he's up on one of the side walls, running perpendicular to the floor, in an attempt to sting like a bee...and uh, float like a butterfly. When in Rome. "Hey my heroes! Way to show up just in the nick of time everybody. I'd applaud but my hands are kinda trapped." Opening a squinty eye that is gradually going red it suddenly lances out a laser flash that goes wider bursting outwards to hit the trio in front of him. Two of them unfortunately for them now currently webbed in place. The demons don't much speak English or possibly anything even intelligible beyond their own secret language but the appearance of Illyana's soulsword says enough as the big fat lady monster tries to shield her now Ravager blade sporting infant. Looking down at it she realizes it is a lifeless swinging lump in her paws. A coo sound escapes her and she prods it before her mandibles peel back and she lets out a keen much like that small creature had made when Kon headbutted it then she goes upright her full fourteen feet of height achieved as she looms over Ravager and Magik. That swarm of squid-lings under her folds shuffling with her, clinging to her like barnacles on the side of an ocean freighter. "Can we go now?" Kon asks as he continues to struggle against his bonds. "I really really need a shower and to drink several bottles of mouthwash also probably vomit up everything I've eaten in the past year." He does look rather pitiful. Covered in who knows what with a swollen eye, fat lip and several cuts. "Spidey! Rav! Keep her busy!" Illyana says as, instead of attacking momma she makes a run for Kon. She drops down into a sliiiiiide along the floor, passing beneath the three that have been webbed and/or lasered so she comes to a stop at Superboy's feet. "Always getting into troub--ohgod." She brings a hand up to her face. "You smell... so bad." She gags a bit and then rises up to her feet. Her eyes flash all-white for a moment as she looks at his bound-by-something-invisible wrists and then she slashes with the sword and Kon's arms come free. A stepping disk opens off to the side and Magik gives Kon a shove that way. "Let's go, let's go!" Ravager glances towards Kon as the ones Spider-Man had lashed down explode with the cooking zip of red lasers slicing their way through. How nice, so it seemed she would not get chided too much for what she did here. The sword cuts down and up in an arch the rotation of her swrist brought as she pushes forward towards the fourteen foot tall monstress, her other hand gripping the cord of the grappling hook, swinging it like a lassoo and tossing it to hook around the screaming she-beasts meaty 'shoulder', tugging it tight as she ran in a flanking circle around it attempting to gain tension as well as a more solid binding before she released the hold and it zipped her towards the monster, that sword leveled down to carry her blade first into the belly of the beast. Spidey stops as Kon heats up some of the monsters with his vision and just sort of stands there until Illyana's screaming snaps him back into the fight. "That's a cool power." He takes aim at an area beyond the mommy monster, or whatever it is, with two webs and catapults himself, feet first, aiming for its 'head'. Does it have a head? He's aiming to what he thinks would be her head. A grimace at the use of his laser vision and Kon shoves away from the wall and past the trio of smoldering demon thingy corpse piles. It's not that they didn't deserve it they probably did but it's a reminder of his lack of control over the power and some part of him is hellbent on no taking lives even monsters from the netherrealms and beyond. "Yeah." He mumbles at Illyana as he shuffles past her and the direction she was indicating for escape. Big momma really despite her size isn't one for battle and it shows as Ravager and Spider-Man tag team her with a kick and a sword; a bellowing sound escapes her as she grips her stomach before it spills open and then she is donkey punched in the back of the head by well... feet so it's more of a mule kick? None the less! She staggers forward assisted by Spidey strength and her own momentum to thwack heavily in to the wall. The skirt of squid-babies she had around her all scattering in all directions up walls, in to the floor and through cracks. The mother creature isn't dead, like all of her species they have fantastic regeneration but she is stunned at the moment. Perfect opening to either finish her off or get the hell out of Dodge. Illyana Rasputina is on Kon's heels, giving him a helpful push through the portal as he stumbles. She waves her free arm, the other holding her sword defensively. "C'mon, c'mon!" She yells, since the squeal/roaring has started to attract attention and grunts and bellows can be heard echoing down the hall. She waits for Ravager and Spider-Man to duck in first and then she pulls up the rear, shutting down the portal as she drops them into one of Halo's safe houses. No showing the tagalong Spider the seekrit base! Ravager hears Illy and then takes that moment to twist her blade, pressing the hilt to lean upward and say something lowly. "Sucks, don't it?" Just then Spider-Man's kick sends the ;large beast staggering to the side, ravager taking that moment to jerk her grip on the hok and grappling line back, ripping it free of the creature as the same is done with her sword, though sweeping it upward first to ensure there would hopefully be no following. Moving towards the portal she shakes the slime off her sword, letting it *glop* down in a sticky spray over the stone flooring. "Kon is why I can't have nice things." mumbled lowly as she glances back, waiting on Spider-man before she disappears into the portal. She doesn't have to wait for long on Spidey, though. As she looks up, he's in mid-stride of an exaggerated sprint, blowing right past her. Semi-speed power, ftw, and let's get the rock out of here. Pronto. Like now. He hates this sort of place. "Wait for me! I don't wanna become a permanent resident!" Category:Log